http://wilsonnews.net/go en paul@wilsonnews.net Copyright 2010 2010-10-30T02:25:00-06:00 http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/adam_beth_beasterfield_volunteer_at_el_monte/ http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/adam_beth_beasterfield_volunteer_at_el_monte/#When:02:25:00Z This was the second time for Beth to come and the third time for Adam to come and work at El Monte.  Beth along with helpers here and there spent the better part of three weeks painting our second cabin.  Adam painted some but mostly ran the backhoe digging and moving lots of dirt! He spent one day loading a dump truck with top soil for the new soccer field. He also spent time working on the new palapa building sight. Beth put her climbing skills to work and with a harness and rope, she climbed to the peak to paint. As I said, she did have some help from others from time to time. Through all the hours and hours of work over the three-week period, Adam and Beth kept great attitudes! Thank you Adam and Beth for all your hard work and for your friendship!  You’re welcome back any time!!!!  May God richly repay you for all you have done for us at El Monte!  2010-10-30T02:25:00-06:00 http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/workers_bible_study/ http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/workers_bible_study/#When:17:47:01Z Every Wednesday we hold a workers Bible study for all the construction workers here at El Monte. With so much construction going on right now, there are more than 20 workers here every day.  We ask them to come to a one hour evangelistic Bible study each Wednesday afternoon for the last hour of work.  So, yes, it is paid time! Please pray for spiritual fruit from this time invested.  Pray that these men will understand the Gospel message and receive Christ as their personal Savior! 2010-10-28T17:47:01-06:00 http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/five_camp_forest_springs_ltd_alumni_serve_together_in_mexico/ http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/five_camp_forest_springs_ltd_alumni_serve_together_in_mexico/#When:03:58:00Z Ed Somerville (’84-’85), Joshua Abeln (’09-’10), Lisa Wright (’06-’07), Gerardo Santiago (’08-’09), and Paul Wilson (’86-’88) The LTD program—theory to reality in an international context By Kerra Wilson Registrar, El Monte Ministry Center Camp Forest Springs Alumna TICUMAN, MOR., MEX.-- Five Camp Forest Springs LTD graduates spanning three decades found each other this summer at the El Monte Ministry Center in Ticuman, Morelos, Mexico. All five often refer to their experiences in LTD at Camp Forest Springs. “My LTD year helped me to realize the vastness of Christian camping; I know that the sky is the limit. It also helped me to realize the importance of a well-organized camp.  Good communication is so important for ministry,” says Gerardo Santiago. In their various roles at El Monte, they are often mentally referring to specific learning experiences during their LTD year.  They are “re-writing” their paper in a sense as the theory they learned is now reality. Explains Gerardo, “I wrote my paper about my dream adventure ministry.  The paper helped me to think through a lot of details that would be necessary in starting such a ministry.  I am hoping to develop an adventure ministry through El Monte someday. I was taught how to dream, and now it’s exciting to be living it out.” El Monte means “the mount.” This is an appropriate name as this ministry is literally being carved out of the mountainous wilderness in south-central Mexico.  This multi-faceted ministry accommodates Christian camps and retreats, a missionary training school, and a pastoral renewal center.  Ed Somerville’s title is Executive Director, and he serves in various capacities but has a daily role in the missionary training school. Ed reflects, “My LTD year taught me to believe God for great things. In my role with the Cross-Cultural Training Center, I am training Mexicans to carry the Gospel to the most difficult and unreached parts of the world.  That’s thrilling!” Paul Wilson is Camp and Ministries Director and finds himself occupied with many things regarding the “invention” of daily procedures as well as learning how Christian camping is appropriately applied to the Mexican culture.  The year 2010 is an exciting one for the staff at El Monte because they hosted their very own summer camps (and summer staff) for the first time!  This summer was full of learning and inventing the processes of training counselors, promoting camps, and having camp ministry. Lisa Wright and Gerardo Santiago work in the program aspect of the camps. Says Lisa, “The best part of my job is being able to organize the camps and see them happen. It was a lot of work, but it was cool to see it pay off. The ‘pay off’ was seen at worship on the last night when 19 kids made a decision for Christ!” Behind the scenes, Joshua Abeln helps make it all possible, working mainly in the aspects of maintenance and upkeep. He also led several summer work teams from the United States that came to help.  Joshua comments, “Building campsites was a highlight of my summer.  Through them, kids were able to have a nature experience that they may not get at home.  I also enjoyed the new experience of leading work teams for projects.  I had to have strength in the Lord because it was hard to organize such large groups.  It was really rewarding to see the group be able to finish a job and surpass the goals for their projects.” Originally coming from South Carolina, Wisconsin, Argentina, Mexico, and Missouri, the staff is varied and comes from different backgrounds and cultures. However, we all have the common bonds of Camp Forest Springs, El Monte, and most importantly, the love of Christ Jesus in our hearts that must be shared with the nations. Paul Wilson shares, “The diversity of our staff sharpens us and enables us to better reach across the cultural barriers of doing camp ministry in a foreign country.  The mix of diversity and the common bond of our ministry preparation through Camp Forest Springs give us focused purpose in fulfilling the call of the Great Commission through camping ministry at El Monte.” Please be in prayer for these LTD graduates in the future endeavors that the Lord brings them.  Please also pray for wisdom for each of them in their roles as the ministry at El Monte grows. More information can be found on the Facebook fan page: El Monte Mexico. Our God never ceases to be faithful! 2010-09-20T03:58:00-06:00 http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/were_preparing_for_karl/ http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/were_preparing_for_karl/#When:17:16:00Z UPDATE: Looks like the storm has completely dissipated and blew over much faster than forecasted earlier today.  It sprinkled a little here this evening.  Praising the Lord for this!  A non-event! Pray for our area of Mexico.  Though we are a long ways inland, the predictions are for 15 inches of rain in the interior mountains.  That water comes down in the rivers that run through our valley of Ticuman.  We’re moving things out and up at our house!  Ticuman is in the middle of this projected path. 2010-09-17T17:16:00-06:00 http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/kyle_to_college/ http://wilsonnews.pmhclients.com/go/home/comments/kyle_to_college/#When:02:49:01Z When we put Kyle on the plane to go work at Camp Forest Springs for the summer, we didn’t know we’d have the privilege of helping him transition into college this fall.  Roxanne and I bought plane tickets by faith and have been blessed to receive God’s provision to cover that cost!  We’re so thankful to be able to share in the family memories of Kyle entering Emmaus Bible College. Though we didn’t finish, we enjoyed moving him into his dorm room. Here’s his roommate Caleb, who’s from Chicago. It was great to be able to visit family along the way between picking Kyle up at camp and moving him in to college. We’re very impressed with Emmaus Bible College!  Everything we’ve heard and seen as parents comes through in the realities we’ve experienced.  Pray for Kyle as he goes through this transition.  This is a great place for him to learn and grow! Go Eagles! 2010-08-28T02:49:01-06:00